


Juvenile

by wei_wei_wei



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: ;), Alternate Universe - High School, As we go along I'll add more, Guns, Knives, Lots of Secrets, M/M, Rumours, Secret Badassery, Secret Crush, in summary: zarkon is a dick
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-14 10:57:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11781726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wei_wei_wei/pseuds/wei_wei_wei
Summary: Booted out of Garrison Middle School at 14. Freak. Loner.Alien.Don't let him associate with you, he's violent, a heartbreaker, and two steps away from expulsion.This was what new student Lance McClain knew of Altea High's very own cryptid, Keith.A cryptid who he may or may not be developing a crush on.Fuck.





	1. Chapter 1

It began like all crushes do, which is to say that at first, Lance had no crush at all. 

Instead, he was standing outside the front gates of Altea High, gazing up at the weathered down school and debating the final year of his school career. It was unfortunate that he had to change high schools only a year away from graduation, Dad’s new job was to thank for that, but a clap at his shoulder and an achingly familiar smile at his side reminded him that things weren’t going to be so bad. He had Hunk and Pidge, after all.

“You said that this school is the best in the state at robotics and programming?” Lance vaguely gestured to the falling apart building ahead of them, “You sure this is the right one?” 

Hunk sighed, “Hey, you don’t need play smart with me Lance, I guarantee this school can be a hidden gem when it comes to that stuff!” He grinned, “My grades are… fantastic.”

“We’ve got a pretty good astrophysics club too!” a voice chirped from behind Hunk, ah, so Pidge had been there the whole time.

“ _Astrophysics_? Pidgeotto… you didn’t make the club just so I would join the school, did you? If you’re gonna to bribe me like that you’ve gotta tell me this _before_ I enrol in the school, don’t you know how it works?”

“I didn’t make the club you giant nerd,” was Pidge’s scathing reply, “It was started by our student council president, who's actually pretty cool.” Lance hummed noncommittally as they started walking through the front gates and into the building.

Astrophysics… that was one of Lance’s all-time favourite subjects, and the course he was planning on taking next year. Who knew they would have a club for something that specific at this school? Which he would totally be joining, by the way. Weird...

Eventually he got too distracted to tap back into Hunk & Pidge’s ongoing conversation, and gradually took in more of the surrounding area they passed by. Inside, the place didn’t look half bad and was fortunately a far cry from the front gate. The trio had arrived early so there were only a slow trickle of students walking through the doors around them. Though that didn’t stop Lance from spotting a cute girl and throwing some finger guns and a wink her way. 

What, just because it was his senior year didn’t mean he couldn’t have a little fun, right?

“Lance, knock it off, she’s totally already dating!” Hunk whispered next to him. Oh well.

“Our idiot heartthrob to match the resident heartbreaker…” Pidge muttered beside them. 

“Aww, Pidge!” Lance cooed at her reddening face as Hunk cleared his throat beside him, “I’m serious man, while the classes are good, sometimes the students around here can get a little crazy. I would stay low for the first couple of days, dude.”

“Hunk, my buddy, I’ll be fine! I’m more focused on what classes I’ll be in today, anyway~”

Hunk grinned.

“It’ll be so cool to finally be in the same school again man, it’s seriously been way too long since middle school.” Lance smiled right back while Pidge’s own was downright vicious. 

“Speak for yourselves, I’ll be hanging out with all the smart kids-“ 

“Typical Pidge, skipping a year,” 

 “-Shut up Lance, oh look, we’re here.” Before them was the door to the admin building. 

And then the bell rang.

“You know where to go from here, right? Just talk to the receptionist she’s really nice- -“

“Hunk, he’ll be fine, _we’ll_ be late!” Pidge was doing a little jog beside him.

“Okay, okay, good luck Lance, see you at lunch!” “Catch you later!" Hunk and Pidge dashed off to class. Lance waved as they left and felt a bit more hopeful about the coming day. He was in high hopes as he stepped inside.

Which was a good thing because as soon as Lance entered the admin building his hopes were immediately dashed. Dashed in the form of rough hands pulling him inside, something cold and metal under his chin and before Lance knew what was happening his mouth was slapped over with another hand so he couldn’t scream. He struggled but there was already somebody else- behind him! -holding his arms behind his back. His eyes drew forward. No way.

The receptionist was kneeling on the floor below him, hands up in surrender. 

Another guy stood in front of Lance, gesturing wildly with his gun- “Stay back!” his raspy voice shouted at them, “Don’t move or this guy is dead!"

What the fuuuck.

Lance was pretty sure he was in shock as his eyes inched downwards to the knife below his throat. He didn’t dare to swallow and flinched when the guy behind him kicked at his ankle. Which hurt, by the way.

“Try to struggle…” they warned, tightening their grip on his hands, “and you’re not going to have a neck when we’re done with this.” he growled.

O-kay, cheesy villainous comments aside, Lance was starting to freak out now. The room stifled him with rising panic as he took in his situation.

So, he was a hostage. Great start to the day, just great.

The world was gradually tipping sideways even though his head was perfectly straight- hadn’t moved- and Lance’s thoughts were spinning around maybe a bit too much to be healthy.

What could he do, how could he get out of this? Sure, Lance was pretty sure he was the world champion at avoiding dangerous situations or at least planning for them but take him by surprise and he was a lost cause or as good as dead. 

He swore internally as the knife inched a little closer to his throat. Today was not his lucky day.

The guy in front of him turned his back on Lance and moved towards the short figure in the centre of the room- wait, figure? How hadn’t he noticed the boy standing in front of the reception desk?

Lance was pretty sure he would notice that mullet anywhere.

“Don’t try anything funny, Kogane,” the man in front of him spat as he pointed the gun at the kid. “You’re going to come with us quietly, without making another _scene_.” 

Lance was wondering wondering what he meant by that when the tightly bandaged hand of the gunman caught his eye. The Kogane kid looked like he had a couple of bruises over his face, too. Was this not the first time something like this happened?

Luckily the kid was staying silent, which was good, because Lace didn’t feel like dying today. The two men holding him hostage beside him were still too, seemingly waiting for the gunman’s orders.

But the gunman was angry, “I said, get over here fucker! You’re going to pay for what you did to me and my pal, otherwise you’re both dead!” He swung the gun madly between the both of them.

Lance tried to convey the depth of how much he didn’t want to die- he was pretty sure his eyes were starting to water right now- right at the kid in question. But Kogane didn’t catch his eyes. 

He was already in front of the gunman, teeth clenched into a furious expression on his face. Then he swung.

The gunman’s lackeys repositioned the knife under Lance’s chin but Lance leapt back from it, inadvertently head butting the guy behind him. Their grip on his hands loosened enough he could break free and Lance dropped to the floor & ducked under the knife. 

Kogane's hit knocked the gunman off his feet and sent the gun flying out of their hands before they could use it.

Lance caught the gun as it clattered on the ground, palmed it up to a correct hold, and shot it.

The window behind the gunless man shattered on impact and all hell broke loose. The knife man was off balance right behind him, so Lance kicked his feet from under him and pointed the gun back at their faces. Haha! Karma.

He was pretty sure he could feel several speechless pairs of eyes on him in the room, and some sirens that were  _not_ for the end of class in the distance.

Three men, three men on the floor, but not for long. 

“You mother fucker-“ they started to get up but stilled when they saw the gun pointed at them.

“Just get him, bro, the kid’s not going to shoot-“

“He already did, you idiot!”

The three began to argue at each other and Lance saw Kogane looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

“Give me the gun.” He murmured so they wouldn’t notice.

Lance raised his eyebrow but saw no problem with handing the thing over, although as soon he passed over the gun the three men stopped and stared.

Lance chuckled nervously at them. It was the stress.

“Alright, now what- dude!” Lance was pulled forward by the boy, grip tightening as he pulled them away, three seething men behind them.

“Run!” Kogane shouted back and before Lance knew it both of them were vaulting through the broken window. Man good thing this was ground floor, holy-woah, this kid was _fast_.

“What the-“ Lance began again, “Don’t we need to get a teacher?!”

But Kogane growled under his breath, “They’re not going to help very much.” 

He chanced another glance behind them and tightened his grip on Lance’s hand, “Hurry _up_.”

“I am! You need to tell me who those guys are, and why we’re running away instead of getting someone!” Lance yelled back.

Kogane was leading him through the back of the school, past what must have been back of the cafeteria and away from the main building behind them.

Lance was still running but was about to shout at the kid again when he heard a shudderingly familiar yell from behind them. 

Not very far behind them.

“Alright!” Lance gasped under his breath and increased his pace, long legs easily reaching the kids speed, “But when we’re done with this- *puff* -you’re going to tell me exactly what’s going on!” 

Kogane nodded and let go of his hand.

Both of them quickly made it to the road behind the school but Lance could still hear the shouts of the man behind them.

“How are we gonna- what, why do you have a bike?!” 

“Stop asking questions,” Kogane revved it up, looked back for the man chasing them, then back at Lance. “Get on.”

He only looked slightly miffed, like having to deal with a terrifying hostage situation was part of the daily grind for him.

Heck, maybe it was. The kid sure wasn’t letting any stress show on his face.

_“Get on!”_

“Alright, shit, geez.” Lance took the seat behind him, mind still scrambling to understand the situation when Mullet hit the gas.

Wind hit is face as Lance quickly grabbed hold of the kid- it felt like he was about to fly away- and they left the school far, far behind them.

“Dude, what are you doing?!”

“Shut. Up. I’m getting us out of here!”

“You’re not very good at explaining things, you know!”

“Be _patient_. I need to focus.” The kid expertly winded the bike through the morning rush of school-destined cars and onto the main road.

Lance was officially confused out of his mind and his confusion only grew as he replayed the mornings’ events during the ride. What on earth was this guys deal? He didn’t seem dangerous at first, but thinking about the dude’s supposed spotted past with those guys, Lance wasn’t so sure anymore. He wasn’t taking him to some secret lair where he was going to finish what those guys started, right? Shit, and Lance had given him the gun, shit!

Much to Lance’s dismay, eventually they had to stop at a traffic light.

Mullet turned to Lance behind him, “What’s your name?”

Purple eyes. He was caught off-guard for a second.

“…The name’s Lance. I didn’t catch yours.”

“Keith.” Keith Kogane, then. Alright, he could work with that.

They drove on for a couple minutes further before Keith stopped the bike at a park. Lance had to catch his breath from the residual adrenaline and looked around. The park seemed deserted but then again it was a pretty big park.

He looked back at Keith, who was already eyeing him apprehensively.

Right. The freaking out on the way over probably made him seem like he was going to dash the moment Keith stopped the bike. But no, Lance liked to think that at least had some class. That’s why he said:

“What the actual fuck man?”

Keith blinked, “Those guys tried to jump me a few days ago but I stopped them. They wanted payback.”

“So, what, they found your _school_?”

He shrugged, “It happens. Also you probably shouldn’t go back to school today. There's police.”

Keith reached into his pocket and pulled out the gun, which Lance gulped at. He had thought about what actually happened but the picture kind of bought it home. Oh, god.

Oh god he had grabbed a gun and almost shot a guy. God he had destroyed school property. _He was going to get expelled, probably worse, on his first day, when he hadn’t even stepped foot into class._

“I’ll take care of this,” Keith said, oblivious to Lance’s rising dread, “If police found your fingerprints on it, that would be bad.”

“So we’re not giving it to the police?! Dude!”

Keith has the audacity to look guilty. “Sorry, but I need to save my own skin. As far as they’re concerned, I’m in as much hot water as those guys. Also you probably don’t want to be hit with a criminal record right before uni, right?”

Lance scrunched up his face at the thought. 

“We had a witness? What about that receptionist…"

“Oh Shay? She’s cool.”

Lance looked at Keith like he’d grown a second head.

“Sure, sure, everything will be all hunky-dory. The entire school board is just going to roll over for us and throw a hostage situation under the rug. Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Pretty much that’s exactly what I expect.”

_“Why?"_

This wasn’t the first time this had happened. What was with this guy? First he doesn’t even try going to a teacher about all of this, and now he doesn’t want to get the police involved either? How could the school even let that slide?

“Our principal’s kind of a dick. His name’s Zarkon.”

“...Yeah?”

“Yeah he doesn’t like dealing with other people’s shit. The first time I went to him about this, he pretty much flat out ignored me.”

 _The first time?_ Oh man this was definitely not a one-time thing.

“But it seems like he’s good at covering up shady things… I don’t doubt it comes from his own experience… but if I keep my distance from a scene, he won’t bother me about it. He just points the police, staff, students, in the opposite direction.”

“So you guys are… good?”

Keith sighed, “I dunno Lance, it’s still Zarkon.”

“O…kay?” Lance didn't know what that meant.

“Wait,”

Keith looked Lance in the eye, really looked at him. “Are you new? I don’t recognise you.”

“Yeah, first day.”

“No kidding... I think you’ll understand what I mean when you meet him.” Keith grinned at him, like having a wack teacher was this great joke. Lance honestly felt kind of bad about it. About everything.

Hunk wasn’t kidding when he said the students were crazy. But then again Lance had pointed a gun at a guy and laughed today so maybe he fit right in with them. With Keith.

That’s where Lance looked Keith in the eye, really looked at him. 

And realised he was irredeemably, 100% fucked.

...

They ended up wagging the entire first day of school.


	2. Chapter 2

"You got……..  _lost?"_

Lance tried to meet their eyes and look somewhat innocent but ended up fidgeting under the seat.

“Lance, we literally dropped you off right in front of the admin building. How could you get lost? I swear, we leave you for two seconds-!"

“What Pidge is trying to say is that, well, why didn’t you even text us man? You know me and Pidge would help you out!”

Lance sat in the chair and grimaced. This Hunk and Pidge tag-team guilt trip was starting to grate on his nerves, yes of  _course_  he wasn’t so dumb to get lost for an entire day, but yesterday’s business didn’t leave him with much of a choice. Honestly he was surprised that they even bought it in the first place, but he would have chosen a different lie if it would end up in this kind of lecture…!

Lance vowed to never get involved with Keith again. Or, it would be more accurate to say that Keith downright denied his offer of a kind and good-hearted friendship.

It had all started off well and good, Keith satisfying Lance’s unending questions about the possible security cameras (“There aren’t any. Zarkon doesn’t care.”) or the fact that the men would tell everyone who was to blame for that window (“Zarkon literally won't care Lance, I’ve said it a million times.”) or how the receptionist had looked really worried right when- -

“Lance, just, listen.” Keith had interrupted for the billionth time, waving his hand like it would erase all of the boy’s doubt, “This was just a one-off thing, alright? Just stay out of my way, don’t talk to me in school, and you won’t be involved in anything.” 

Lance made some kind of offended squawk, “What?!” But Keith was already getting back onto his bike, sending him a glare that could probably make a baby cry, “I’m serious. Don’t talk to me at school tomorrow.” And then he was off, completely stranding Lance in some unnamed park (well yes he did know how to get back home from here but  _still_ ) and forcing him to walk  _three blocks_  to the nearest corner store. (Keith was very lucky Lance had bought his bag with food in it otherwise it would result in death stares in class tomorrow. No, wait, Lance was still going to do that. All Keith-shaped things beware.) 

Lance had spent his day leisurely, exploring the neighbourhood and taking the bus around unpopulated areas of the city where he was certain no one he knew would see him.

Well, Keith was still a jerk for abandoning him in his time of need, but Lance was benevolent enough to take his word and stay away from the school for the rest of the day. 

By the time he got home and rattled off a thousand lies to his Mama about how great the school was, the freezing white hand of guiltiness had crawled its way up his throat, which ended up in Lance personally reconsidering some of the choices he made in life sometimes. The morality of it all put pins and needles into his brain, to say that he had a good sleep that night was an understatement.

But Keith had been right.

Keith was still a massive jerk who would definitely never redeem that title but there really were no announcements or news about yesterday’s scene. As far as everyone had been concerned, it had just been a normal day at school.

Only the lecture, a few disappointed stares from his new teachers, and a list of his classes for today were waiting for him, waiting for Lance to take his final year of high-school by the reigns and make something of it. Something big, something great, something which would hopefully make him some money. Something he’d inevitably need to study.

Cue 5 hours worth of homework.

“Piidge…” Lance was whining. “Pidgeyy…"

“Cut it Lance, it’s your own damn fault for not coming to school on the first day.” Pidge gestured at him with her spoon, and then made a show of getting back to the rest of her soup.

 _Ugh_. “Stop ignoring me! How the heck am I meant to finish all this?!” Lance shifted his gaze to Hunk besides Pidge for a split second before leaning in closer, “You could share your notes-“

Hunk slammed his plastic juice container down.

“Nope, not doing that!” Hunk looked Lance in the eye, “You are dealing with your consequences.”

Pidge snickered. Lance’s mouth dropped open.

“Hunk! No! Not you too!”

“Am I interrupting something?” A warm voice rung out across the cafeteria.

Lance turned to look at the voice, then double-taked. He was gazing at an absolute hunk (no offence to Hunk’s hunkliness) of a man he could only describe in one word: charmingly beautiful and perfect. His face was chiseled, making him seem older than he probably was, his eyes were like pools of kindness and understanding, and was that a scar across his face? Lance double-glanced again but was found guilty of the truth. Yes, even his strange multicoloured hair in shades of black, grey and white bought a serene beauty to the man which would perhaps soon be his forever destined. Despite his unorthodox-for-school look every aspect of him from the muscled shoulders right up to his hair, came together to create a stunning picture. 

Then the white noise of the cafeteria cut through his consciousness and the world started moving at normal speed.

Seemingly impervious to the supermodel standing right in front of them, Hunk said, “Oh, Shiro! Welcome back!” 

Shiro smiled and Lance’s heart about flew into about a thousand pieces.

“Thanks. I’m only here to talk Astrophysics club though. Are you two still joining us this year?” 

Pidge grinned, “ _Yeah_ , I still need to check up on those projects I left over break. Exams this year won’t be an issue.”

“Oh man I hope Coran didn’t touch my supplies again, if one more piece goes missing…” Hunk was rambling. 

“And the pot calls the kettle black.”

“Hey!”

Shiro was laughing and Lance was still caught in his dazzling beauty. He only managed a weak finger guns at the man when Hunk grabbed his hand.

“Lance is joining this year too! He’s new.” Hunk tightened his grip on his hand and Lance swore his buddies’ cockblocking techniques were 50% intuition and 50% sheer mind-reading by this point. At no point in this exchange did he stop staring at the man. 

Shiro looked pleased, and Lance was going to die, “That’s great! We start next Monday as usual, okay? Join us!”

Lance only managed a nod when Shiro left the group to themselves. He gulped as Hunk and Pidge turned their eyes to him. 

“…What? Don’t look at me like that!” Their faces turned to matching expressions of pity.

“I understand, but, I wouldn’t even try man.” Hunk tried to reason gently, though Pidge cut in.

“Yeah, Shiro’s already taken too.”

“Dammit!”

\---

It was the second-no, third day of Lance’s new high school career when he dropped a calculator on his foot and realised that he hadn’t seen Keith Kogane. Like,  _at all_. He was counting on being able to at least see the dude once in a while so he could death glare to his heart’s content!

Despite looking at every inch of the campus during Hunk & Pidge's impromptu morning tour, that black mop of hair was nowhere to be found. But like his very existence taunted Lance, Keith’s words from back then followed him throughout the day.

_"This was just a one-off thing, alright?"_

Lance slammed closed his locker as if to shut off the memory, and tried looking inconspicuous. Yes, yes, he was just very interested in the band posters on the bulletin board. He narrowed his eyes and put a hand to his chin for effect.

He was in no way listening in on to the conversation happening behind him.

“Did you hear? Turns out the window in the admin building is still smashed in.”

_"Just stay out of my way,_

“What? Do you think there was a break-in?”

_don’t talk to me in school,_

“No, apparently the glass was actually on the outside…"

_and you won’t have to be involved in anything.”_

“Huh, too bad it wasn't a break-in, lockdowns are the bomb."

"Only for getting out of class. And with Zarkon? No way." The other one laughed and their voices faded into the distance.

_"Don’t talk to me at school tomorrow."_

Lance shivered.

And then the fire alarm went off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changed the title to 'Juvenile' my dudes ~(~,~)~ thanks for reading!


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